He Called Me Crazy, Then Regretted

Chapter 6

I spun around stiffly, only to find myself completely surrounded by several men.

The guy leading the group leered at me with malicious intent. He fished a photo out of his pocket and slammed it hard against my chest.

The photo was taken on a bright, sunny day. My mom was sitting on a bench at the nursing home, a soft smile on her face.

The man leaned in, his voice a venomous snarl right in my ear. "Selene, pay up right now. Or… I wouldn't mind sending your mom down to keep your short-lived good-for-nothing dad company!"

All the blood in my veins turned to ice in a split second.

An older man among the group pulled the leader back a step. "Don't blame us. Blame your dad. He jumped off a building and got off easy, but the rest of us still have to survive."

Only after the group finally left did I crumple slowly to the floor against the door, my fingers clamped so tight around the photo of my mom that my knuckles went white.

A cold wind cut through the long corridor, so frigid that I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself.

Right then, a sharp, bitter flicker of resentment flared to life in my chest, unbidden. I hated the scammers who'd tricked my dad into investing. I hated my dad for killing himself, leaving me to clean up this massive, impossible mess all alone.

Most of all, I hated myself. I'd failed so spectacularly at life that I couldn't stop any of this from happening…

*****

When I snapped out of my daze, I was already back on set, and I knocked on the door of Grey's dressing room.

Grey lifted his eyes when he saw me, a clear flash of irritation crossing his sharp, cold features.

I hid my trembling hands in my sleeves, my voice shaking a little as I chose every word with extreme care. "I'm so sorry. I was out of line to disturb you the other day. Could I trouble you to help me clear up what happened that day? I promise—"

I didn't even get to finish my sentence before Grey cut me off flatly. "I never respond to this kind of pointless gossip." He sneered at me with a cold, half-smirk playing on his lips. "Besides… you're no stranger to this kind of tabloid gossip. One more won't make a difference."

His words hit me like a fist to the chest, sending a searing, deep pain radiating through my entire chest.

I pressed my lips together, the dry, cracked skin pulling tight. I felt like a lost traveler stranded in the middle of a parched desert, with no relief in sight. I was this close to pouring my heart out to him, telling him how tired I was, that I couldn't keep holding on much longer…

I slowly closed my eyes, then forced them open again.

Thud.

My knees hit the floor hard, the dull sound echoing in the small room. "Grey, I'm begging you. Please, have mercy on me."

I still had debts to pay off. I had to keep my mom safe! I was a far cry from the proud, naive, sheltered little princess I used to be. Dignity was a luxury I couldn't afford right now.

Grey's pupils shrank sharply, and for a second he froze completely, rooted to the spot. But he snapped out of it just as quickly, his voice so cold it could have turned water to ice. "Selene, I never thought you'd sink this low. You have no shame at all, do you?"

For a split second, unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, there was even a flicker of rage in his gaze.

He stood up and wrenched the door open. "Get out. Don't dirty my place."

Outside the window, the autumn wind picked up, tearing a few more leaves loose from the tree branches. They drifted to the ground just like my shattered dignity, impossible to put back together.

A crushing wave of helplessness washed over me.

I pushed myself up off the floor, a sharp, stinging ache burning through my chest, and stumbled out of the makeup room.

Amelia hurried over to meet me. "Selene, how did it go? Did Grey agree?"

I shook my head.

Disappointment spread across her face. "Grey's always been so proud and unapproachable. I should have known this wouldn't work. But now what do we tell Mr. Peterson…" She trailed off mid-sentence and looked back at me, her expression softening. "Hey, there's always a way out. I'll head back to the company first and work on the PR draft. Selene, do you want me to drive you home?"

My throat was too tight to speak properly, so I forced out a hoarse reply. "Don't worry about me, Amelia. I can get home on my own."

After seeing Amelia off, I left the film set and wandered aimlessly along the riverside highway like a wandering ghost.

The night wind blowing off the river was so strong it felt like it could lift me right off my feet and carry me away. I hauled myself up onto the guardrail, letting the even fiercer river wind whip over my skin.

If only this wind could carry me away with it.

All of a sudden, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, and Grey's face popped up on the screen.

In the photo, he was drenched in sweat, but his smile was as bright as the blazing midday sun. Right above the photo, a line of text bounced cheerfully: You've got this today, Selene!

Grey took that photo for me back when he was just a no-name extra scrounging for tiny roles on set years ago. I'd set it as a daily reminder that popped up sharp at noon every day.

Just seeing his face used to give me the push I needed to drag myself through another day.

Back then, Grey fought tooth and nail just to land a bit part with two whole lines of dialogue. Now, everyone in the industry worshiped the ground he walked on, and he was totally out of my league.

In just a few short years, everything had turned completely upside down.

I was still lost in my thoughts when a deafening sports car engine roared to life behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, and a flashy, pricy supercar came tearing straight toward me. Its blinding headlights flooded my vision, and I lifted a hand instinctively to shield my eyes.

The phone slipped right out of my grasp and plummeted straight into the churning river below. My heart lurched. I leaned over the railing without even thinking, ready to dive in after it.

But before I could move an inch, someone grabbed me hard around the waist and hauled me off the guardrail.

I hit the ground hard, still reeling, when a dry, mocking voice cut through the wind. "A famous actress trying to off herself by jumping into the river in public? Man, I really scored front-row seats to a real show today!"